Keep getting errors trying to convert Quicken for Mac 2007 to Modern Quicken

Becker

Hi, I am hoping someone can assist in a work around and get me going.

I have been a Quicken user since 1993 and have been working with Quicken for Mac 2007, which has essentially worked flawless for me. I will be upgrading to a new iMac (Monterey) soon and was prepping my Quicken file for the new computer. I am currently working on an iMac with OS 10.13 (High Sierra) and Quicken 2007 works without issue. I downloaded the modern Quicken to convert 2007 file, however I have been running into an error each time I attempt to convert: “An error occurred while preparing the file to be imported”.

After reading many of the posts, I have tried many of the suggestions, (re indexing, save a copy to a non-APFS hard drive, exporting a .qif file and creating a new Quicken file to copy, as well as using an older Quicken file from Time Machine) and still I get the same error message.

Phone support was no help, only suggesting that the software was old and I needed to start my accounts from scratch - hardly supportive to my situation.

Any assistance would be grateful, as I would rather not have to start from scratch.

smayer97

4 things you can try, if you have not already:

1. start with new QM2007 data file. Create a few transactions, then try to convert.
2. when using the Save a Copy feature, make sure that the original data file and the destination data file both reside on an HFS+ volume/drive.
3. create a new (temporary) user on your computer and try any of these or other attempts at conversion.
4. if you have access to another Mac, try to perform the conversion on it.

Hopefully in all that you might identify what the root source of the problem is.

Becker

Hi, Thanks for the suggestions, tried them all with no luck. I created a guest user and a new QM2007 file with several accounts and transactions, saved file and copy of file on a separate hard drive. I attempted to convert QM2007 (new & original) on iMac and my Macbook Pro laptop running Monterrey. Still nothing but the same error message. Anything else up your sleeves?

jacobs

Okay, I think there's a big problem here. Last week, there was a thread in which a few Quicken 2007 users hit the dreaded “An error occurred while preparing the file to be imported”. Now another user has the same experience.

So I just tried to convert a simple Quicken 2007 test file with only a single account and a few manual transactions… and it also failed with the same error. I tested three ways:

1. on a Mac running macOS Mojave and the latest Quicken (6.8.3) 
2. on a Mac running macOS Catalina and an older version of Quicken from February (6.5.3)
3. on a Mac running macOS Catalina and the latest Quicken (6.8.3)

Combining these experiences, I think there's something broken with the Quicken cloud converter. I initially wasn't sure if it was the cloud converter or something in the Quicken Mac application code which had been broken, but my inability to import a file using the 6 month-old 6.5.3 version of Quicken Mac leads me to conclude the problem is with the cloud converter. Maybe it's something with the cloud server's code — although that seems unlikely because there's no reason to think they have made any code changes in the cloud converter — but it could be something as simple as the server being offline or the converter task not being running on the server. 

The problem, now, is bringing this to the attention of someone at Quicken who will look into it. The response @Becker received from Quicken Support just isn't acceptable. Converting Quicken 2007 data files is a supported feature of Quicken Mac, so saying "the software is old" is unacceptable. I understand that the Support agents have little to no experience with Quicken 2007, but they should understand that the failure to convert, even when using a simple newly-created test file, indicates a problem which needs to be escalated.

I will try reporting this using Help > Report a Problem, and I will include the test Quicken 2007 data file since they may not have one handy. The problem with this approach is not knowing if the person on the receiving end will test it and agree that there is a problem. @Becker, my suggestion is to try Quicken phone Support again, and if you are met with a similar flawed response, firmly but politely say this is a supported feature of Quicken Mac and you want to speak with a Tier 2 representative. The goal is to get them to escalate that there's a problem blocking ALL conversions from Quicken 2007 files from working. 

Becker

Thank you for your reply, I will contact phone support again and request a tier 2 rep. Hopefully they will investigate and research the issue if others are having the same problem. Thanks again.

smayer97

Do report back any findings. ;-)

jacobs

I did submit a detailed report via Report a Problem. But I won't hear anything back from the black hole, so there's no way to know if it will help bring about a resolution or get ignored. 

Becker

After spending over an hour on the phone with support, who by the way was much more sympathetic to the issue at hand than my previous encounter, I am still at a loss to be able to convert my QM2007 data file to the modern Quicken. Tier 2 was involved and was ultimately told that all trouble shooting methods were exhausted. Their solution was that I could start from scratch and download my current transactions from each financial institution that I use.
Does anyone have any other ideas, recommendations or perhaps another similar financial software for a Mac where I can convert years of transactions. Thanking you in advance.

jacobs

@Becker In your conversation with the Tier 2 Quicken Support representative, were they thinking this was a problem with your data file, or with any and all Quicken 2007 data files?

In my (admittedly limited) testing last night, I was unable to get a tiny, simple test Quicken 2007 data file to convert, which seems to indicate the converter is broken. In other words, when they said "all troubleshooting is exhausted", are they saying that importing from a Quicken 2007 data file is no longer supported? That would be BIG news to the remaining Quicken 2007 users who figure they will migrate to modern Quicken Mac some day in the future.

Perhaps we can get this to the attention of the Quicken Mac product manager to confirm or deny that, but first I'd like to understand more about your conversation with Quicken Support. 

Becker

Hi @jacobs

“Trouble shooting was exhausted” were my words to describe that there was nothing else they can do for me. As far as converting QM2007 for others, the rep said that they are still happening and my file was somehow corrupt.

I explained that I too attempted to create a new file and was still unable to convert to the modern Quicken. While on the phone we created other files, attempted to import a .qif file, unlocked firewalls and still had no luck.

I have since unlocked every conceivable possible blockage - firewalls, vaults, encryption, and sharing. I’ve tried alternative internet networks, changed the name of the .qdfm file, downloaded the new quicken software again, rebooted and closed or exited out of every other application and still nothing.

I am hoping to borrow another computer running an older MacOS to load QM2007 from the original CD, import my data and see if my current older machine (iMac) has an issue outputting the file. Other than those steps, if still nothing, I am at a loss.

It was ironic that while I was on the phone with support, an email came in from the Quicken product lead welcoming me to Quicken. He wanted to be sure that I was using Quicken to secure the “most complete picture of my finances”. I replied to him asking for assistance so I can do just that.

We’ll see what happens. :)

jacobs

Becker said:

As far as converting QM2007 for others, the rep said that they are still happening and my file was somehow corrupt...  I explained that I too attempted to create a new file and was still unable to convert to the modern Quicken. While on the phone we created other files, attempted to import a .qif file, unlocked firewalls and still had no luck.

Of course, it makes no sense to say "your file is somehow corrupt" when creating a blank new file with a test transaction or two also doesn't convert. If the just-created test file doesn't convert, then the problem isn't that your live data file is corrupt!

For what it's worth, in one of my failed test file conversions, I'm using the same computer, with the same operating system, as I did to convert my live data file back two years ago. So I feel comfortable ruling out the computer or the operating system, Internet connectivity (eg. no firewall or VPN) as the culprit in my case.

I'd really be interested if the person who told you Quicken 2007 conversions are indeed working for others can see stats from the cloud conversion server for how many attempts have been made in, say, the month of July, and how many have failed versus how many have successfully connected, extracted and downloaded data back to users. Does this support person really know your situation (and mine, and the others in the thread I linked above) are all anomalies, or were they just saying that without checking?   

Becker

All very good questions. I did happen to ask about number of people who convert their files, and they would not give me a solid answer. When time permits for me, I will reach out again and push the issue to those higher up the chain. Thanks for your concern, if you happen to hear back from your report a problem, I'd like to hear their response. All the best

Quicken Victoria

Hello!  Thank you very much for sharing your experience.  It turned out that the cloud converter got into a bad state where it was failing to convert Quicken 2007 files.   The underlying issue has been identified and fixed as of Tuesday night.  Please let us know if you continue experiencing any problems with could converter.
Thank you!
-victoria 

Becker

Hi @Victoria,

Thank you for your update. I was finally able to convert my QM2007 file to the modern Quicken. I was at a loss yesterday thinking that I had to start from scratch. Yet waking up to your message this morning provided a much-needed moment of relief. Now I just need to familiarize myself with Quicken’s new look and options.

On a side note, if multiple people alert your support team that they are having troubles converting their data, perhaps Quicken can be a bit more transparent with respects to their responsibility for the issue on hand or at least say they are looking into the problem on their end, instead I was met with resistance several times that it was my own file that was the problem. As I read your note, It was actually the cloud converter in a “bad state,” (whatever that technical term means) that was the problem.

Again, I thank Quicken and you for fixing the bug and alerting me to the repair.

Quicken Victoria

Hi @Becker Thank you very much for your note.  I'll check with the Support team on their current escalation process and make sure it is up to the Quicken standards and provides the best experience to our customers. 

I am glad that you could successfully convert your Quicken 2007 file!  If you'd like to learn more about Quicken Mac, please let me know and we can arrange a call with a product expert from our team.  

Thanks again!
-victoria